


A Gift

by Echo_Gray



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Fluff, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 06:12:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10430892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_Gray/pseuds/Echo_Gray
Summary: In a rare moment of stolen downtime, Link is given a very special gift from a very special Rito.





	

“All right, I’ve finished. Open your eyes.”

Smiling softly, excited to see what now sat atop his head, Link’s eyes slowly fluttered open.

He stared in the mirror at his reflection, the new headdress sitting, perfectly fitted, on his crown. The delicate white ribbons that had just been carefully wound into his hair were lovely, and he adored the rubies that decorated the ends. Infused with magic, their sole purpose was to keep him warm, and already he could feel the heat curling around his face and enveloping his whole body. It gave him a small shiver that earned him a smug chuckle from the Rito standing behind him.

Yet the thing he loved most about this headdress was the beautiful blue feather sticking up over his ear. He reached up and touched it gently and sighed in content at how soft it was. Link knew it was to lay claim to, not only the piece of clothing, but also the one who wore it, and that made Link swell with joy. There would be none other like this one, made specifically for him and crafted to near perfection.

"I love it..." he murmured softly, then finally turned around and away from the mirror. "Thank you, Revali."

Revali scoffed a little, though his green eyes expressed the shyness he felt but would never show. "You'd be an idiot to trek around the mountains here without it. I only made it for you to stop you from freezing to death."

Link chuckled under his breath and shook his head a little. Revali, ever "cold and distant", unable to stop pretending even for a moment like this. Link didn’t mind, understanding that the Rito likely worried his gift would be rejected or underappreciated. He stepped up close to him and placed his hands on his armored chest, smiling brightly up at him. "I'm glad to have you looking out for me. I'll cherish this gift, always. There is a piece of you in it, and that means more to me than you know."

A pause stretched between them before Revali huffed, slowly allowed himself to settle into the moment, then smiled as well and folded his wings around Link. "I just know how thick you can be. No doubt you'd charge right up Hebra Peak without even considering your well-being, and Hyrule can't afford that, can she?"

Link smirked, allowing a few of Revali's feathers to slip between his fingers. He raised up on to his tiptoes and asked softly, "Could you? Because that is what this is really about and we both know it."

He felt Revali stiffen a little and Link loved it. Breaking through the Rito's tough, dismissive exterior to find the gentle, tender soul beneath was one of Link's favorite things in this world. The Champion drew back a bit to stare at him, their eyes locked together, and then Revali shook his head.

"No. I absolutely could not afford that."

Link's heart flipflopped in his chest and the overwhelming emotion he felt for this man took him over. He shivered in its wake and pressed close to Revali's chest, his eyes closed as he just relished in this moment. It was so astonishing to him sometimes how far he and Revali had come, from near disdain for one another to... well, this. To this beautiful relationship that was so far beyond anything Link had ever thought he could have. The weight of the world rested on him, heavy and often crushing, but Revali was his escape. Revali made it all seem possible, made it feel like Ganon would be nothing more than a momentary and inconvenient disruption that they would easily dispense with and move forward. Link knew that, as long as he had Revali by his side, he could take on anything that was thrown at him.

And the best part was that Revali felt the very same about him...

Drawing back just enough to look at the Rito again, Link reached up and touched his soft, feathered cheek. "It is the same for me. You must do everything you can to look after yourself and be careful. Things are getting darker by the day, you have to promise you won't be reckless."

Revali rolled his eyes and gave Link a look. “Oh be reasonable, Link, this is me we’re talking about. I will be perfectly fine when the time comes to face Ganon with Vah Medoh. I have told you before, it will be easy to do away with this whole thing. You all must stop being so dreary about it.”

Link glared softly and stepped back to cross his arms over his chest. “And you call me thick… Revali, _you_ have to take this more seriously.” He held up a hand to stop the Rito from interrupting, and his bleak clicked shut in annoyance. “I’m glad you’re confident in your abilities, but humor me if you must. Promise me you won’t be reckless, and that you at least recognize that this a dire situation.”

Silence fell between them once more, stubbornness warring in them both. It seemed to go on for quite some time before Revali threw up his wings in exasperation. “Yes, all right, fine. I promise, _Hero_ ,” the sarcasm slipped in but Link ignored it, “to keep my head and face the challenge for what it truly is – a challenge. Will that do?”

Link allowed his arms to fall and he nodded, though he remained serious. “I care for you so much, Revali. If something were to happen to you…” He trailed off, glanced away for a moment to control and push away a wave of fear, then returned his eyes to the Rito’s. “We must all play our part, but that does not mean we cannot do so exercising the most caution we can. Yes?”

Revali sighed and reached up to gently toy with a ruby in Link’s hair with his wingtips. “Yes. You’re right, but I do wish you wouldn’t worry. I am not going anywhere, and to be quite frank it’s ridiculous you would even entertain the thought.” He stepped close to Link and folded him close once more, gently nuzzling to top of his head as his voice softened. “And neither are you, and that you must promise _me_.”

Link curled against him and sighed, ignoring the rock slowly settling in his stomach. He refused to allow dread and worry to taint this stolen time spent with Revali. “I promise, my Champion. I will not be leaving you, not as long as you will have me.”

A pause, one in which Link heard Revali’s breath hitch with the impact of Link’s words. Instead of addressing his emotional response, which did not surprise or hurt Link in the least, Revali changed direction. “I should hope not. I did not work my feathers off creating this headdress for you for you to simply keel over and thus waste my hard work.”

Link snorted and drew back just enough to rise on his toes once more and kiss the side of Revali’s beak. “I wouldn’t dream of it. It is a gift far too beautifully made for something so foolish.”

“Yes, I am glad you agree.”

Link chuckled softly before taking Revali’s wingtips in his hand to draw him to the edge of Vah Medoh. Together, they settled themselves down to watch the world drift by as they slowly flew through the skies, pretending just for a little while that life was easy and safe, at least as long as they had the other. Rito Village looked small from their height but bathed in the gorgeous light of the setting sun, and for the moment, Link felt peace. One hand rested easily on Revali’s leg while he sat curled against the Rito’s side, a wing thrown over his shoulders, with his other hand idly toying with the feather sitting on his head.

He loved his gift so very much, and it truly meant more to him than he could say.

But the one who gave it to him? Revali, his Champion and his love… He was everything.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing this pairing and for this game, so I hope it is decent enough! It has been ages since I have posted any of my writing online -- how long has y!gal been down? -- so I'm a wee bit rusty, but I'll get back in the game. Please, if you see any typos or have constructive criticism, lay it on me! :) 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!


End file.
